Pa Ranahan

Looking out onto the pitch after the final whistle Saturday evening you got the feeling that maybe, just maybe, the touch paper had been lit. As I was making my way down the steps of the Ardan O’Riain a wave of Limerick Academy U-15 footballers ran across the immaculate Semple Stadium surface heading in the…

3.45pm. May 24th 2009. Semple Stadium, Thurles. Beads of sweat rolling down my face. Trying to catch my breath and seeking refuge from the burning sun in the shade of the Ardan O Riain stand. I wasn’t alone. I’d been joined by Mark O’Riordan, with the ball at the other end of the field. A…

A book that I find myself picking up again and again is “Players First” by John Calipari. I’d never heard of Calipari before reading this, but he is one of the most successful coaches in the history of American college basketball. As the title of the book indicates, his whole philosophy is built around putting…

“Do you hear that Mr Anderson? That is the sound of inevitability” A memorable line uttered by Agent Smith in “The Matrix”. Aimed at Keanu Reeves, but he could have been talking about the implementation of a two tier intercounty football championship, with discussions picking up pace in the last week. Where before there would…

This is Major! The tag line for the Electric Ireland advertising campaign showcasing the GAA Minor Championships, which began last week. The montages brilliantly capture the various ‘rites of passage’ that a teenager experiences. From being picked last on school teams, to the pressure of exams, to an expanding social life etc. It also illustrates…

Niamh and myself went travelling in 2008. One of the best experiences was a trip to Fraser Island, a fairly remote spot off the east coast of Australia. Basically you head off in a 4×4 jeep with a group of strangers for three days taking in the sights, setting up camp where you can each…

“The league table doesn’t lie” A point of view that’s often rolled out in sport. And when taken solely on results it’s a fair statement to make. You get what you earn. But it doesn’t take into account what a team deserves or what strides they have made. The final standings of NFL Division 4…

“This is my house. I have to defend it!” A line uttered by eight year old Kevin McCallister in Home Alone, in anticipation of the arrival of burglars who planned on robbing the place. In spite of his age and being outnumbered, he knew the layout of his own home inside-out and was going to…

Our two smallies had their first swimming lesson last weekend and they loved it. The instructor was brilliant and chatting afterwards, he explained why he spent only a short amount of time in the shallow kiddies pool – giving them a few basics – before bringing them into the normal pool that the strongest of…

You don’t expect to see pictures of Tom Brady (New England Patriots), Steph Curry (Golden State Warriors) or Nicolas Otamendi (Man City) appear in front of you at a GAA Coaching Conference. But that was exactly what greeted those of us who were in attendance at the presentation given by Derry Senior Football Coach Philip…